Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr.
Watch: U2 – MLK
Some “New” for You
Parts & Labor will release Constant Future (Jagjaguwar) on March 8.
Check out:
Parts & Labor – Constant Future [mp3]
Obits will release Moody, Standard & Poor (Subpop) on March 29.
Check out:
Obits – You Gotta Lose [mp3]
Mogwai will release, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (Subpop), on February 15.
Check out:
Mogwai: San Pedro [mp3]
Mogwai: Rano Pano [mp3]
In celebration of their recent signing with Subpop, The Head and The Heart have made two tracks available: Down in the Valley, and their newest recording, No One To Let You Down. Get the pair for the price of an e-mail address here.
The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
The Decemberists’ sixth studio album, The King Is Dead, stands in sharp contrast to its predecessor and marks a return to something more familiar for fans of the Portland-based group. Enlisting support from Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings, and R.E.M. guitarist, Peter Buck, the band delivers 10 crisp tracks in the span of 40 minutes. The result is refreshing, and it captures the feel of the Pacific Northwest summer during which recording sessions occurred.
The pre-release buzz for this album focused on Peter Buck’s involvement in recording three tracks: Calamity Song, Down By The Water, and Don’t Carry It All. The tracks are undeniably accented by Buck’s presence with the darkly comic Calamity Song sounding like early R.E.M. and Down By The Water echoing familiar arpeggios from The One I Love. While Buck’s presence is welcome, it’s hard to imagine this recording without Gillian Welch, who appears on most of the album. Welch’s backing vocals warm Meloy’s strong nasal-tinged singing, and she proves to be as valuable as any instrument on this recording. Her partner, Rawlings, contributes notably with backing vocals on June Hymn and joins the band as an instrumentalist on other tracks.
Folk music is at the core of the Decemberists’ albums, but this is their first “Americana” album. Welch and Rawlings can certainly take some credit, but the change emanates from the Decemberists. Once the leader of the alt. country act, Tarkio, Meloy admits to feeling a need to scale back. His band mates were likely motivated by similar needs. Last year, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee and Nate Query formed and toured as the Americana outfit, Black Prairie, recording Feast of the Hunter’s Moon. Rooted in Old Time and Bluegrass music, Feast was a major departure from their work with Decemberists, and this same mindset feeds the simplicity and strength of The King Is Dead.
This recording marks significant change, but the Decemberists don’t veer too far from their strengths. Songwriting and composition continue to be a hallmark of the quintet, and tracks from this album will likely factor heavily on tour. Rise to Me is the most powerful song on the album, and features a beautifully played steel guitar (presumably by Chris Funk). Other highlights include January Hymn, June Hymn, This Is Why We Fight (the only modern rock track on the record), and the aforementioned Calamity Song and first single, Down By The Water. While the king may be dead, the Decemberists are decidedly not, as they continue their run of excellent albums with this release.
Lyrics: 20/20
Composition: 17/20
Musicianship: 18/20
Production: 18/20
Originality: 7/10
Intangibles: 9/10
SCORE: 89
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Listen: To the Colin Meloy Interview on WFUV
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Stream: The Decemberists – The King Is Dead on NPR
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Purchase: The Decemberists – The King Is Dead out January 18
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Cheers…
